Weezer

Weezer (2019)

RENALDO69

Let's get the Weezer hate out of the way. This isn't a crash grab; it's just a band not taking themselves seriously anymore. I mean, c'mon… they covered "Africa" and had Weird Al on stage with them so, let's accept The Teal Album for what it is. A cover album the band's putting out for shits and giggles, and honestly, as a fan of most of these songs, it's nostalgic gold for me.

Fine, I admit some more energy and a bit more pop-punk could have gone into these tracks, but at least Weezer have a career after going broke in the music industry as a wedding band! Toto's "Africa" is one thing -- and enjoying it live in Riot Fest really had me wondering if this new generation of white millennials truly understood what they were cheering for -- but let's be real, Rivers Cuomo dropping into falsettoes for A-Ha's "Take On Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" really brought a smile to my face.

If you're not part of this, you're dead inside. I kid. Maybe not.

The Eurhythmics' "Sweet Dreams" and TLC's "No Scrubs" could have done with some more pep in their step, but overall hearing them mess with Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" and Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is more than enough to compensate. It's not the best musicianship but technically, Weezer have always prided themselves on simplicity. This won't be any different and the marketing will be organic based on those wanting walks down memory lane. And fuck, I'm pretty sure just like Dick Clark's New Year Party, that demo target I mentioned above are going to be reviving these songs on their playlists, getting folks more royalties hopefully and giving Netflix soundtracks a run for their money. That said, huh, it looks like Weezer is saving the industry and making rock and roll great again, not by building walls, but by breaking 'em down.